OF THE SUNSHINE COAST

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A publication of the Sunshine Coast Wildflower Festival Committee Hubbard’s Wattle or Prickly Moses (Acacia hubbardiana) Shrub to 2m with sometimes arching stems. Flowering late winter into spring. Distinctive sharp-tipped triangular phyllodes (foliage). On slopes of small coastal “mountains” such as Emu Mountain.

Sweet Wattle (Acacia suaveolens) Long narrow blue/green foliage makes this an attractive 2m shrub. The fragrant creamy/ white flowers are followed by large blue/grey flattened seed pods. Seen mainly in wallum or eucalypt ecosystems on sandy soils.

Prickly Moses (Acacia ulicifolia) Small prickly shrub with creamy/white fluffy, ball flowers in autumn - spring. The brown flattened pods contain hard, black seed. One of the pioneer heath species after fire.

Midyim (Austromyrtus dulcis) Spreading small shrub with dark green upper surface and silvery underside to foliage. Attractive white and pink flowers. The edible fruit is white with pale mauve/ grey spots.

Weeping Baeckea (Baeckea frutescens) When crushed the narrow leaves have a pleasant perfume. This weeping 2.5m shrub of the wet heath ecosystems has 5 petalled white flowers in spring and summer. Formerly Baeckea stenophylla.

Milkmaids (Burchardia umbellata) Lily-like with soft stems to 40cm. Flowers spring into summer. Perfumed flowers with well-defined pollen presenters around pink central style. Always in wallum wetlands. Devils Rice ( taxifolium) Shrub to 1m. Numerous white flowers in spring are held above the foliage. Flowers are 2 lipped and covered with soft hairs in the throat. Normally occurs in coastal wallum sandy soils.

Common or Bell Heath (Epacris obtusifolia) Erect small shrub to 1m with very upright stems. Scented bell-like flowers cover upper half of stems with the peak in spring. Found only in wallum wetlands.

Wallum () Shrub to 3m with spiky terete foliage. Small -like flowers appear in late winter and spring. Usually seen with woody fruits containing 2 winged seeds. Commonly seen in wallum heaths and adjacent bushland.

Wild May (Leptospermum polygalifolium) Found in eucalypt woodlands with a heath understorey as well as dry heath ecosystems. Aromatic foliage and a dense covering of white flowers in spring help to identify this 3m shrub. Popular ornamental shrub grown by the horticultural industry for many years.

Showy Tea Tree (Leptospermum speciosum) This 3m shrub provides a stunning flower display in late winter to spring. The head of flowers are surrounded by silky which help to identify it from the similar Leptospermum whitei. Found in wet heath ecosystems on sandy soils.

Leucopogon leptospermoides This small 1m shrub may dominate the dry heath in autumn, winter and spring. Tubular white flowers are clustered along the stems amongst the foliage. The narrow, long leaves have a sharp tip. (Leucopogon pimeleoides) Tall shrub found on well drained sandy soils. The branches become almost pendulous with perfumed white flowers from winter— spring. The throat of the white flowers is densely hairy. The fruit is red when mature.

Twiggy Bearded Heath (Leucopogon virgatus) Small plant with erect stems to 30cm with narrow pointed leaves. Flowers winter & spring, usually in dense clusters. Known as “White Beards” flowers have“ fluffy” petals. Found in wallum wetlands and high dune ecosystems.

Prickly-leafed Paperbark (Melaleuca nodosa) Prickly shrub to 3m producing creamy yellow flowers in globular heads in spring. These are followed by small nodular woody fruits. Common around the junction of wet and dry heathlands.

Broad-leaved Paperbark (Melaleuca quinquenervia) Paper-barked tree to 25m. Flowering mainly autumn into early winter. 5-veined leaves – “quin” 5 “nervia” veins, flowers sometimes have an unpleasant honey scent. Found in coastal wetlands.

Conesticks ( shirleyae) A low growing shrub with fine dissected foliage. Creamy/white flowers form at the ends of the branches from spring - summer. The woody cone shaped fruit contains numerous papery winged seeds.

Phebalium or Woombye Bush (Phebalium woombye) Attractive shrub to 2m. Flowers winter into spring. Leaves & stems covered in tiny rough brown “spots”. Mainly grows on high dune heath and coastal hills such as Emu Mountain. Queensland Wax Flower (Philotheca queenslandica) Small shrub to 1m. Flowers in winter and spring. Thick warty leaves, aromatic when crushed. Pink buds open to 5 petalled white flowers in autumn and spring. Formerly Eriostemon myoporoides subsp. queenslandicus

Rice Flower (Pimelea linifolia subsp. linifolia) A somewhat shrubby plant to 1m. Clusters of white flowers in spring. Flower heads about the size of a 50c piece. Absence of conspicuous veins other than mid-rib. Common wallum heathlands to wallum and eucalypt woodlands.

Wedding Bush ( pinifolius) Shrub to 5m. Masses of white flowers late winter into spring. Separate male and female flowers on bush followed by round green fruit with soft spines. Found in wet wallum, high dune heath, and open wallum all along coastline.

Sprengelia (Sprengelia sprengelioides) Slender upright small “shrub” in wet wallum and open heaths. Flowers in late winter to spring. Star-like 5-petalled flowers with mauve-pink stamens. Distinct prickly leaves which clasp stems.

Wild Parsnip (Trachymene incisa subsp. incisa) A small delicate herb up to 50cm, growing in open sunny areas. Foliage is deeply lobed and resembles parsley or parsnip foliage. White heads of flower on long stems in summer.

Wallum Grass Tree (Xanthorrhoea fulva) Trunkless Grass Tree to 1.5m. Prolific flowering after fire, otherwise spring. Fine long “leaves” triangular in cross-section, flower spikes to 2m but often less. Found in open wallum wetlands. Fairies’ Wings (Comesperma defoliatum) Small erect plant often with tiny 3mm leaves or without visible foliage. The delicate mauve/blue flowers have two petals and form long sprays of flower in summer.

Scurvy Grass or Native Wandering Jew (Commelina diffusa) A small, fleshy, spreading herb commonly found in wallum and eucalypt woodlands. The bright blue two or three petalled flowers are seen in autumn-spring.

Wallum Dampiera (Dampiera stricta) The small herb may grow to 60cm. The toothed green leaves are alternate. Deep purplish flowers in spring and summer have yellow/brown hairs on the corolla. Dampiera sylvestris has greyish hairs on the corolla.

Long Leaved Flax Lily (Dianella longifolia) Tufted plant to almost 1m high. Found on shallow or sandy soils in wallum ecosystems. The spikes of purplish flowers are followed by bright blue fruit. Flowering from spring – summer.

Forest Hop Bush (Dodonaea triquetra) This 3m shrub may be found in dry heath or eucalypt woodlands. The small insignificant green/cream flowers are followed by attractive purple or green, papery winged fruit from winter—spring.

Purple Bush Pea (Hovea acutifolia) This 2m shrub can be covered with deep purple pea flowers in clusters during spring. The dark green leaves have a fine covering of hairs on the leaf under surface. Found in the dry heath understorey in eucalypt forests. Native Lobelia (Lobelia gibbosa) Small erect herb to 30cm high. Single stems have spikes of blue five petalled flowers. The flower throat is white. Generally found on well drained shallow or rocky soils in the groundcover layer of eucalypt woodlands.

Native Iris (Patersonia sericea) Plant to 40cm with strappy leaves in wallum wetlands, high dune heaths and adjacent open woodlands. Flowers in late winter & spring. “sericea” refers to silky hairs on the dark brown to black buds and seed cases.

Black-eyed Susan (Tetratheca thymifolia) Small shrub to 49cm high. Leaves in whorls around stems are often hairy. Purplish/pink 4 petalled flowers with black centres in spring and summer. Found on well drained soils in heath understorey of eucalypt woodland.

Fringed Lily (Thysanotus tuberosus) A grass-like plant found in most soils growing amongst other herbs. The flowering stems are up to 60cm high with purple flowers with fringed petals. Main flowering in spring and summer.

Bladderwort (Utricularia uniflora) The flowers of these intriguing tiny herbs are often only visible along cleared tracks in the wet heath ecosystems. Underground “bladders” on the roots, trap tiny invertebrates to use as nutrients for plant growth.

Small-flowered Bluebell (Wahlenbergia sp.) Small 50 - 60cm clumping herbs with fine, bright green foliage. Blue bell-shaped flowers grow singly at the tips of the stems. Flowering spring - autumn in eucalypt woodlands and wallum ecosystems. Wallum Dog Rose (Bauera capitata) Small shrub to 40cm in wet heath areas. Bright pink flowers can be seen at the ends of the branches from spring to summer.

Wallum Boronia or Swamp Heather (Boronia falcifolia) Small shrub to 1m growing in open peaty wallum swamps and heathlands. 4-petalled pink flowers. Has aromatic heath-like leaves in threes around the often reddish stems.

Forest Boronia (Boronia rosmarinifolia) Distinguished from Wallum Boronia by the dark green, simple leaves. Leaves are aromatic due to the minute oil dots on the leaves. The bright pink four petalled flowers can be found in winter - spring.

Matchsticks (Comesperma retusum) This sparse shrub grows to around 1.5m high. Purplish pink flowers are found at the tips of the branches in spring and summer. Commonly found in wet heath and eucalypt woodland on poorly drained sandy soils.

Slender Hyacinth Orchid (Dipodium variegatum) A leafless plant with flowering stems to 60cm high. The large pink flowers have dark patterns on the petals. Individual flowers have green or purple stems. Main flowering period is winter -summer.

Wallum Heath (Epacris pulchella) Upright shrub to 75cm with white or pink tubular flowers along stems in autumn & spring. Sharp tipped triangular leaves clasp the stems and turn slightly downwards. Widespread in wallum wetlands, high dune heath and open dry wallum. Wallum Tea Tree (Leptospermum semibaccatum) Open shrub to 1.5m in wallum wetlands and high dune heaths. Has soft seed capsules from which seed sheds sooner than other Leptospermum species.

Thyme Honey Myrtle (Melaleuca thymifolia) Twiggy shrub to 1m high. Clusters of fluffy pink/purple flowers ascend the stems in spring. Small woody capsules containing numerous fine seeds are retained on the branches. Found in moist to wet sandy soils.

Wallum Mirbelia (Mirbelia rubiifolia) Pink/lilac pea flowers in pairs on long wiry stems from spring to early summer. Very definite venation on narrow leaves. Leaves arranged in whorls of 3 with flowers situated in leaf axils. Found in wet wallum and nearby woodland ecosystems.

Vanilla Lily (Sowerbaea juncea) Clumping plant with soft greyish leaves and stems to 50cm. Massed flower displays in spring. Heads of vanilla scented flowers flutter in coastal breezes, creating wondrous scenes. Common in wallum wetlands and high dune heath.

Grass Trigger Plant (Stylidium graminifolium) Small tufted, grass-like plant with flowering stems up to 80cm. Bright pink flowers in spring—autumn are followed by dry seed capsules. The trigger like action of the style is used to deposit pollen on small insects.

Woollsia pungens Small erect shrub to 1m high with tiny dark green leaves with a sharp tip. The pale pink/ white 5 petalled flowers occur from spring to autumn. Grows in wet heath locations across the coast. Woolly Aotus (Aotus lanigera) Long-stemmed shrub to 1.5m. Masses of pea shaped flowers along stems in spring. Stems, buds and seed pods are woolly. Predominately occurs in open wallum wetlands

Wallum () Gnarled shrub or tree growing to 7m. Large greenish-cream brushes and stiff narrow leaves with serrated margins. High dune heaths such as at Marcus beach, and sandy areas adjacent to wallum.

Dwarf Banksia () This shrub can be almost prostrate or a 2m tall shrub. The serrated foliage has a green upper surface and white under surface. The flowers are creamy yellow with a mauve centre. Branches, new growth and woody fruit have a covering of fine brown hairs.

Swamp Banksia () Large open shrub 1 - 2m. Flower brushes in late summer to spring, colour changes from blue-green to gold and rusty to grey when old. Large stiff leaves pale under with yellow veins. Common in coastal and wallum swamps, hillsides with moisture.

Showy Parrot Pea (Dillwynia floribunda) Shrub to 1.5m often with long arching stems. Dense spikes of pea flowers in spring. The wide standard petal forms “Mickey Mouse Ears” thus giving Dillwynnia species this nickname. Found in wallum wetlands and adjacent woodlands.

Wallum Wedge Pea (Gompholobium virgatum var. virgatum) Rounded shrub to 1m seen in wet wallum and high dune heath such as Marcus Beach. Flowers late winter with peak in spring. Flower has obvious green, sometimes red keel petal, oval bud is green, ripe seed pod black. Wallum Goodenia (Goodenia stelligera) Clumping herb in wet heath often noticeable along cleared margins in these ecosystems. The spikes of yellow flowers grow up to 1m high. Main flowering in autumn to spring.

Hairy Guinea Flower (Hibbertia vestita) Predominately low spreading ground cover to 20cm. Flowers spring to summer. Stems and leaves have tiny hairs. Widespread in wallum wetlands to high dune heath ecosystems.

Twiggy Geebung ( virgata) Fine-leaved shrub to 4m. Flowers from winter to summer. Distinctive “2-layer” flowers with recurved petals and stamens. Greenish fruits edible but not very palatable. Found in wet wallum, high dune heaths and adjacent woodlands.

Flat Pea (Platylobium formosum) Small spreading shrub covering around 1m. Large opposite, dark green leaves have distinct veins. The bright yellow pea flowers sometimes have red markings. Flowering autumn – spring. Commonly found in the understorey of Eucalypt forests.

Chaffy Swamp Pea (Pultenaea paleacea) Small shrub to 75cm. Dazzling spring display. Dense heads of pea flowers with red markings on and under petals and “chaffy” bracteoles. All Pultenaea species are identified by brown stipules where leaf meets stem.

Wild Pansies (Velleia spathulata) Small prostrate rosette of fleshy leaves which sometimes have toothed margins. The fine, wiry flowering stems often extend beyond the foliage. Flowers are bright yellow and may be found all year. Grows in sunny moist soils. Black She-oak (Allocasuarina littoralis) Commonly found in dry heath and eucalypt woodlands this 5m tree has deep red female flowers along the branches. The cones are a significant food source for the endangered Glossy Black Cockatoo.

Emu Mountain She-oak (Allocasuarina emuina) This small endangered shrub is found on sandy soils on coastal lowlands or rocky scree on some mountains. Very similar to the Black She-Oak but only 1.5m high. The cones may also have a distinctive beak at the top.

Christmas Bells (Blandfordia grandiflora) This endangered species was once widespread throughout the Sunshine Coast. The insignificant grass like foliage is often hidden amongst the grass. This small herb has spectacular red/yellow or yellow bell shaped flowers November - December.

Common Sundew (Drosera spatulata) An insectivorous herb to 30cm. 1 to 5 white or pink flowers from basal rosette of leaves during spring to autumn. Green or reddish leaves have sensitive glandular tentacles that respond to external stimuli to trap insects. Grows in coastal swamps and wet heathland.

Native Cherry (Exocarpos cupressiformis) This shrub grows to around 5m on well drained soils. The tiny leaves are found on new growth. This parasitic shrub has fleshy, bright red mature fruit with an external seed.

Wallum Bottlebrush (Melaleuca pachyphylla) Mostly upright open shrub to 1.5m. Intermittent flowers in winter, peaks in spring. Flowers red, cream or green. Leathery leaves with sharp tip on blunt end. Seen in coastal wetlands and adjacent open woodlands.